Chapter 63: A Bicycle Voucher
Qin Hengzhi asked naturally, “Are you going back to the Neighborhood Committee?”
Lu Qiaoge definitely had to go back to report on work.
“Going back, Representative Qin, do you have something?”
“Want to wait for me a bit? I need to finish up here and I’m also going to the Neighborhood Committee.”
Lu Qiaoge blinked her eyes.
Qin Hengzhi gazed at Lu Qiaoge.
A subtle indescribable feeling arose between the two of them at the doorway of the office building, with people coming and going—it was really just a fleeting moment.
Lu Qiaoge smiled, “Okay.”
Qin Hengzhi then remembered something and said in a businesslike tone, “Director Hu just called me, hoping the Military Representative Office can cooperate in investigating which military unit the couple who adopted Liu Xia back then belonged to.”
Lu Qiaoge’s eyes lit up.
Qin Hengzhi curved his lips and nodded at Lu Qiaoge, then strode toward the office building.
Lu Qiaoge also turned around, not even needing to ask where to wait for him, and headed straight for the main door.
The spot where she had just run into those young women from the Broadcasting Station was already empty.
She didn’t see Shao Le either, clearly this guy hadn’t dared to come find her.
Lu Qiaoge couldn’t be bothered with him; among those young women was his partner, and who knew where he was coaxing her.
Lu Qiaoge stood under the elm tree outside the main door waiting for Qin Hengzhi’s car to pull out.
Even until Qin Hengzhi opened the car door, she still hadn’t seen Shao Le’s shadow.
Qin Hengzhi didn’t start the jeep right away; he paused for a moment, then turned around and handed Lu Qiaoge a ticket.
Lu Qiaoge took it, somewhat puzzled.
After seeing what it was, she was immediately a bit shocked.
It was actually a Bicycle Ticket, and moreover, a special Military Ticket that didn’t require queuing or waiting in line and even came with a discount.
Lu Qiaoge held the Bicycle Ticket, her inquiring gaze turning to Qin Hengzhi sitting in the driver’s seat.
In the clearly spacious jeep, it suddenly felt cramped and suffocating.
After a few breaths, Qin Hengzhi smiled, “Don’t be tense. A few days ago, your dad asked me if I could get a Bicycle Ticket; he wants to buy you one. He said your job nature is special, always requiring you to rush around everywhere, and having a bicycle would make it more convenient.”
Pausing, Qin Hengzhi added, “Giving it to him at the workshop might not look great; I didn’t expect to run into you today. This one has no expiration, so you can go to the Department Store to pick it up anytime.”
Qin Hengzhi was half-serious, half-joking, and by the end, even he believed it himself.
Lu Qiaoge didn’t suspect anything and her eyes immediately curved into crescent moons with a smile, saying softly, “Thank you so much, really.”
Great, now she had the Bicycle Ticket; all that was left was the money.
Qin Hengzhi gripped the steering wheel, then slowly started the car, drawling leisurely, “You child, you’re really too polite.”
Lu Qiaoge froze in place, stunned and nearly bursting out laughing.
She looked incredulously at the calm-faced Qin Hengzhi and bluntly asked, “When did I become ‘this child’?”
Qin Hengzhi explained very seriously, “If you were a waitress and I was a dining guest, that form of address would be fine. But I’m neither your elder nor your leader, and you keep using that formal ‘you’ all the time—not emphasizing that you’re the junior?”
He even turned back to glance at Lu Qiaoge, a teasing glint in his eyes, “Is my understanding wrong?”
Lu Qiaoge slipped the Bicycle Ticket into her diary, then put it into her shoulder bag, and said cheerfully, “You’re right, Uncle Qin!”
Qin Hengzhi: “…”
He wasn’t angry; on the contrary, the corners of his mouth curved upward, seeming a bit pleased. He stepped on the gas, and the jeep smoothly and steadily headed toward the Neighborhood Committee.
Lu Qiaoge glanced at him; the current Qin Hengzhi was a bit different from the cold and aloof Representative Qin she had first met.
The Neighborhood Committee was still bustling with people; Director Hu, who had been reprimanding Shao Le, saw a jeep parked at the main door.
He also saw the upright Military Representative Qin Hengzhi and the graceful Lu Qiaoge walking in together.
This time, Director Hu didn’t sneak glances, because he was the one who had called Qin Hengzhi to ask if he could help check the identities of that couple back then.
But he hadn’t expected Qin Hengzhi to come in person.
Representative Qin was a regimental cadre; though Director Hu was older, he couldn’t just sit in the office.
Old Hu glared at the head-lowered Shao Le, “Qiao Ge is back; remember to apologize.”
He had already reprimanded him earlier, so now Old Hu didn’t want to say more.
Old Hu and Huang Juan who had followed over warmly greeted them.
Seeing Qin Hengzhi and Lu Qiaoge walk in together still shocked quite a few people.
Lu Qiaoge saw both directors coming out to greet them and quickly stood toward the back of the crowd. She saw Qin Hengzhi smiling warmly as he shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with the two directors of the Neighborhood Committee.
“Regimental Commander Qin, long time no see; welcome to the Neighborhood Committee to guide our work.”
Qin Hengzhi smiled faintly, “Director Hu, you’re too polite. I actually have something to consult you about.”
One was a veteran revolutionary with years of work experience, the other a young talent already serving as military representative; it was Lu Qiaoge’s first time seeing such official pleasantries.
Director Hu invited them into the office; Huang Juan smiled and exchanged a few words with Qin Hengzhi, then hurriedly left because someone was looking for her.
Lu Qiaoge automatically took on the role of attendant, pouring tea for Qin Hengzhi. When she placed it in front of him, Qin Hengzhi casually said to Director Hu, “I’m quite familiar with Master Lu; he’s always wanted to know how Comrade Lu is doing at the Neighborhood Committee—not causing the leaders any trouble, right?”
Lu Qiaoge felt awkward; this guy’s tone was positioning himself as an elder—was he addicted to playing the elder?
She pretended to smile shyly, then withdrew.
But she still heard Director Hu’s hearty loud voice, “…Master Lu can rest assured; Comrade Lu is a comrade with very strong work ability. Though she’s only been working a few days, she does real work solidly; she’s a good comrade…”
Lu Qiaoge quickly went to the general office and had just sat down at her desk when Sister Qiao Ren Xiaocui and Elder Sister Zhu both looked at Lu Qiaoge with gossiping faces.
Sister Hua wasn’t busy today; no one was registering a marriage, and no one came to make a divorce fuss.
Her eyes flickered; when Representative Qin and Lu Qiaoge had walked in together earlier, perhaps due to occupational disease, she just felt that whether in appearance or temperament, the two matched too perfectly.
Though she hadn’t seen Representative Qin many times, it seemed the only female comrade who could walk side by side with Representative Qin was Lu Qiaoge.
Sister Hua came over to inquire what was going on.
Lu Qiaoge didn’t hide it and pointed at Shao Le who had just walked in, saying flatly, “I owe thanks to Shao Le for getting a ride with Representative Qin.”
Those so-called four flowers had dared to intercept her in public, even if on a whim; it showed that because of Shen Yun, they hadn’t skimped on gossiping about her behind her back.
Shao Le didn’t want to just muddle through and quickly walked over with a bitter smile to apologize, “Lu Qiaoge, sorry; today’s thing was their fault. I got angry at them; one by one without brains, jumping in blindly without knowing anything…”
Sister Hua frowned and asked, “Weren’t you going to the Archive Room? How did they make things difficult for you?”
Lu Qiaoge didn’t say anything.
Sister Hua and Sister Qiao both looked at Shao Le.
